Overall energy consumption declined by about one percent in Finland last year, Statistics Finland said on Monday. Electricity consumption dipped by about two percent compared to 2018, mostly due to less demand from heavy industry.
The use of coal plunged by 20 percent, while the burning of peat fell by eight percent. As a result of the decline in the use of these two high-emission fuel sources, carbon dioxide emissions from fuel fell by seven percent in 2019.
Renewables up to 43%
The use of renewable energy sources edged up by about one percent to 43 percent of total final energy consumption. While production of hydro power decreased for the fourth year in a row, Finland used more wind power and wood-based energy.
Finland has exceeded its target for the share of renewable energy, 38 percent, for the past six years. It boasts the EU’s second-highest share of renewable energy in final energy consumption, second only to neighbouring Sweden.
Overall electricity production went down slightly while imports rose slightly to account for 23 percent of consumption. Imports from Sweden, including hydropower, climbed by 16 percent while those from Russia dipped by three percent. Finnish electricity exports meanwhile went primarily to Estonia.